Book Review: Christopher Rice - Blind Fall

Book Review: Christopher Rice - Blind Fall


When you're the son of a highly acclaimed author, there's a lot of expectations to live up to. Fortunately, this hasn't stopped Christopher Rice from writing his own style of novel and taking the publishing industry by storm.


In this, Rice's third novel, he starts to take on gay men in the military. The main character of the novel is heterosexual and must now deal with the knowledge that one of his marine brethren is a gay.


The story revolves around the main character John Houck finding out that his best friend in the marines, Mike Bowers, is gay and has a lover. Add to this the fact that Bowers is murdered and his lover blamed and it starts to becoming interesting.


Houck must put aside what he thought he knew about gay men to solve the mystery of who killed his friend. A marine who, in Iraq, saved his life. Houck's personal journey or reconciling the man he knew as he friend and the now deceased gay man is actually quite interesting to watch. Rice has managed to capture the inner turmoil and confusion beautifully.


Rice has certainly become quite adept about writing gay themed novels and this one is no exception. Whether it be through personal experience or through talking to people, there's a certain reality to what he writes. It sits stark on the page and each reality more eye opening than the last.


Over the course of the previous three books, Rice has certainly honed his already impressive writing skills and has become a master of his own work. Blind Fall is an impressive piece of work dealing with loss, mystery, learning and homophobia. It's certainly a welcome addition to any bookcase.